New 2013 Real Helmets

[dave_boo]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Edited February 22, 2013 by dave_boo

[KRS1]

I remember seeing a thai tv show testing a REAL in an impact test, but i wouldnt trust it. Switching products isnt uncommon in thailand.

That being said ive never seen an HJC in a crash test either, this was the closest i could find for the search term "HJC helmet after crash":

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/hjc-sy-max-2-flip-up-failure/

Arai helmet fail:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215856

Edited February 22, 2013 by KRS1

[RED21]

Well, I crashed with a Real Helmet but I never really hit my head, that or I didn't feel the impact because the helmet did its job well enough...

Anyone willing to part with a new helmet can do a "bounce test".

Edited February 22, 2013 by RED21

[dave_boo]

I remember seeing a thai tv show testing a REAL in an impact test, but i wouldnt trust it. Switching products isnt uncommon in thailand.That being said ive never seen an HJC in a crash test either, this was the closest i could find for the search term "HJC helmet after crash":http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/hjc-sy-max-2-flip-up-failure/Arai helmet fail:http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215856

Established brand name helmets are race proven. While I realize that my 200 USD helmet isn't exactly the same, there's the trickle down effect. I am not as comfortable trusting a brand that has not been around as long nor is used by professionals.

And by the way that article confirms my own thoughts about flip ups.

[JoePai]

I have the Real GJ-603 and am over the moon with it. Very comfortable and fits under the seat of my Click

[KRS1]

Hey looky here what i found, its a REAL helmet test.

I had the same model on the right, it's now somewhere in Los Angeles where i gave it away to some needy Mexican dude from Craigslist.

The airvents on that one never came apart, the Limited Edition Stealth model did.

Hey Dave we need your calculation skills, the test says theres a 3 kilogram weight dropped from 3 meters, but its a sharp point. What would the equivalent force be at 120kph when a blunter object such as a curb smacks it? Curb should have much more surface area than a sharp point used in the test.

Edited February 22, 2013 by KRS1

[SumetCycle]

LOL

You guys from the china hater brigade crack me up. I am too busy at the moment to discuss your problems with ex-GFs. But for once we agree in one thing, Real helmets are a good value for money, even though they are made in Thailand.

Anyone having experiences with Bilmola helmets, which seem to be made in China (or Thailand?)? Difficult to find information about them.

Bilmola make very good hemets. They offer very good quality for the price you pay. The shells are made in China, but they are assembled here in Thailand. It is the same with my AGV. It says made in Italy, but the shell was made in China. There are loads of helmet factories in Guang Zhou, China. All of the major brands have their shells made there.

[KRS1]

Test details:

2:00 shows where the helmet is most vulnerable, 4 points

2:40 up 1.5 meters at a speed of 6 meters per second

2:45 helmet must not transmit more than 400 G's to the skull twice (DOT Specifications)

3:15 helmet is turned form first point of impact by 2 centimeters and raised to 1.8 meters, if passes should not be over 400 G's again, twice.

3:30 impact die is changed to a blunter head at 1.4 meters @ 4.94 - 5.2 meters per second, again 400 G's is the limit

4:20 strap test, must take 300 pounds for 2 minutes constantly, and stretch no more than 25 mm (measured by laser)

5:05 sharp point test 3 kilograms at 3 meters high, if impact passes to dummy head it fails

Hey looky here what i found, its a REAL helmet test.

I had the same model on the right, it's now somewhere in Los Angeles where i gave it away to some needy Mexican dude from Craigslist.

The airvents on that one never came apart, the Limited Edition Stealth model did.

[RED21]

LOL

You guys from the china hater brigade crack me up. I am too busy at the moment to discuss your problems with ex-GFs. But for once we agree in one thing, Real helmets are a good value for money, even though they are made in Thailand.

Anyone having experiences with Bilmola helmets, which seem to be made in China (or Thailand?)? Difficult to find information about them.

Bilmola make very good hemets. They offer very good quality for the price you pay. The shells are made in China, but they are assembled here in Thailand. It is the same with my AGV. It says made in Italy, but the shell was made in China. There are loads of helmet factories in Guang Zhou, China. All of the major brands have their shells made there.

In terms of graphics Bilmola has the one up over Real. From visual inspection alone the finish is also a bit better but they're also priced just a bit higher. I've never used one though...

What I miss of my old Real G-Force was the ECE compliant quick release straps which you could lock and unlock even with leather riding gloves on.

Edited February 22, 2013 by RED21

[KRS1]

Those quick straps are awesome, just hope they hold in a crash ... Bilmola's feel heavy whenever i pick one up.

[Morakot]

Thanks for the review, I sure could use a new lid.

What happened to the old colander?

[wantan]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

[CBR250]

[quote name='Richard-BKK' timestamp='1361413791' post='6135291'

Ive always wanted to try a modular helmet, but most look like gimmicks, i cant see the plastic hinge holding up under impact. Especially a 3079 baht modular with no metal cross bracing to support the flip up part, much less the plastic hinge.

I have a Nolan flip-face passed for use on Oz. I haven't tested falling on my face at 120kmh, but I suspect if anything is up to the job, it is, as Aussie testing is notoriously strict. But I do understand why people may like a solid full-face for the feeling of greater security. I was hesitant at first, but having tried one I loved the fit so bought one.

I use a Real half-face for the scooter, and while not nearly as safe as a high-tech full-face, it seems more solidly built than the ubiquitous cheap Index, and I think it offers reasonable protection at low speeds.

[RED21]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

As far as I can recall the quick snap plastic locks are a requirement for an ECE seal.

One nice thing about the D-ring is that most bikes come with a helmet locking mechanism that works with it. Most of us here though are not comfortable leaving our helmets outside with the bike:D and with good reasons...

[JonnyF]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

Good points. If your head hits the ground at 130kph you should be fine with a cheaper helmet, no worries... If you plan on crashing faster than that, best to spend a bit more... Better to be safe than sorry after all.

[DiNiro]

I just picked up a full face SIMPSON at Rider DNA on the 6th floor, at MBK Mall.

The gentleman that runs the place will fit you with the right helmet and he offers some quality, custom paint work on the helmets too.

[smedly]

A Real helmet that starts to fall apart after 1-year costing +/- 2400 THB doesn't sound very safe, I would have more trust in brands like Shark which cost maybe 2 to 3 times more but also provide warranty of 3-years for their helmets.

Plus I have seen how a 'cheap' helmet looks after it hits a concrete curb at +120km/h, I would recommend that people reserve a bit more money and time to select a decent motorcycle helmet.

This topic has come up here before (do a search) Real Helmets were as good if not better than the expensive import brands (including the ones you mention), you really need to do some research before posting what you think you know on here, Real Helmets are good quality and have the same DOT ratings as Helmets 10x times the price

and for those of you quoting "composite fiber" perhaps you be kind enough to explain the technicalities of this and how it is safer, I'll give you a clue - the important area of a Helmet is not the outside shell as most people would believe it's the inside foam layer inside the shell, helemets are tested to 17mph that is what they are designed to protect you from - anything more and you're in the lap of the gods, go look for the other thread on here and all will be revealed about what you should know especially about your idea that expensive means better

Edited February 23, 2013 by smedly

[smedly]

A Real helmet that starts to fall apart after 1-year costing +/- 2400 THB doesn't sound very safe, I would have more trust in brands like Shark which cost maybe 2 to 3 times more but also provide warranty of 3-years for their helmets.

Plus I have seen how a 'cheap' helmet looks after it hits a concrete curb at +120km/h, I would recommend that people reserve a bit more money and time to select a decent motorcycle helmet.

i suspect you will not do well if your helmet hits the curb at 120kph no matter what you are wearing

Hit anything solid at more than 20mph with your head (in any helmet) and you will be in trouble, those here that think a Helmet will protect your head at 120kmph really really do not have a clue - seriously guys do some research before posting here

[smedly]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

yes they have been tested and came out better than most if not all the more expensive brands - the report is on TV from last year, search for it yourself

[smedly]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

everything is great in your post except your expectations of a crash helmet and the limitations of what your helmet will protect you from - you guys really need to get your head round this - I'm hearing speeds of 120-130kmph, total missunderstanding of the limitations of a helmet - 30kmph dead impact and you are toast no matter what you are wearing and if travelling at 130kmph unless you get high sided high into the air your head will impact the ground at an angle from about riding height say 5ft - an impact of less than 20kph relatively speaking

oh I'm finished with this - it's a repeat of a similar thread from last year

[canuckamuck]

Of course you are talking direct (non vectored) impact, not deflection. The outer shell is important in regards to deflection.

Edited February 23, 2013 by canuckamuck

[wantan]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

everything is great in your post except your expectations of a crash helmet and the limitations of what your helmet will protect you from - you guys really need to get your head round this - I'm hearing speeds of 120-130kmph, total missunderstanding of the limitations of a helmet - 30kmph dead impact and you are toast no matter what you are wearing and if travelling at 130kmph unless you get high sided high into the air your head will impact the ground at an angle from about riding height say 5ft - an impact of less than 20kph relatively speaking

oh I'm finished with this - it's a repeat of a similar thread from last year

Yep, we already had a lot of helmet threads here at TV. Its an important topic for most of us

I guess most of us know that if you hit a concrete pillar with your head at more than 40-50kmh you will die. Regardless which helmet you wear. Your brain will unrepairable squeezed from the massive acceleration/deceleration in the split second this all happens. Yep, this is the most important fact to know about safety of helmets. Luckily you often don't hit a stationary object when coming down from your bike. And of course this means you should avoid frontal impacts with other vehicles even at low speed. You can easily die on your scooter too in such situation.

I just mentioned the 130kmh to compare it with some other guys here who ride at speeds of 180kmh or more some times. I guess you will agree that at such speed you should wear better protection as at a 110kmh cruising speed on a CBR150

Edited February 23, 2013 by wantan

[smedly]

interesting to note that the latest helmet technology is not foam in the inner shell but a gel - researchers have found that a gel offeres much increased protection, the idea was developed from studies on the skull and the fluid that protects the brain, not sure if available yet but expect it soon

[smedly]

I am wondering about the value statement. Has anyone ever actually tested these Real helmets or seen one after a crash?

For me, value comes from having a better price to performance ratio. That or offering similar performance at the same price and better features. That's why I buy HJC helmets.

Of course you are right with this point. But isn't it the same with all lower priced things? For me a helmet (especially in Thailand) is a "use one or two years and then throw away" product. They get dirty and start to stink after one year. My helmet was 1400Baht. Do you think a helmet for 10k Baht is 7 times as safe? Maybe its a bit more safe in general. But what happens after two years when the foam gets hard and brittle? Noone really knows.

Real helmets are DOT rated, some even ECE rated. As a consumer i can only trust these statements. And for my limited knowledge about helmets they look OK, made to "soften" any impact, lower the acceleration of the brain. For me the foam looks and feel "professional". Its not just styropor like in the supermarket helmets.

I use a cheap Real helmet on my CRB150. I never ride faster than 130kmh, the limit of the bike. If i had a faster bike i may would buy a more expensive helmet. But security is always a compromise if you are not a sponsored professional or rich. Everyone has to find the level were he/she feels save enough to have a good time. Some Thais just need a T-Shirt, i need an armed motorcycle jacket to go faster than 100kmh

And professionals often use modified products, aren't they? Even if there is a HTC logo on the helmet, are you sure its the same unmodified helmet you can buy in a shop?

One concern i have about the lack of a DD-ring. I guess these locking mechanisms are not part of any test. Not sure. But a DD-ring may be safer in a bad crash. And it cannot get broken like these plastic thingies.

everything is great in your post except your expectations of a crash helmet and the limitations of what your helmet will protect you from - you guys really need to get your head round this - I'm hearing speeds of 120-130kmph, total missunderstanding of the limitations of a helmet - 30kmph dead impact and you are toast no matter what you are wearing and if travelling at 130kmph unless you get high sided high into the air your head will impact the ground at an angle from about riding height say 5ft - an impact of less than 20kph relatively speaking

oh I'm finished with this - it's a repeat of a similar thread from last year

Yep, we already had a lot of helmet threads here at TV. Its an important topic for most of us

I guess most of us know that if you hit a concrete pillar with your head at more than 40-50kmh you will die. Regardless which helmet you wear. Your brain will unrepairable squeezed from the massive acceleration/deceleration in the split second this all happens. Yep, this is the most important fact to know about safety of helmets. Luckily you often don't hit a stationary object when coming down from your bike. And of course this means you should avoid frontal impacts with other vehicles even at low speed. You can easily die on your scooter too in such situation.

I just mentioned the 130kmh to compare it with some other guys here who ride at speeds of 180kmh or more some times. I guess you will agree that at such speed you should wear better protection as at a 110kmh cruising speed on a CBR150

yes protection from skin rash - no gear or helmet will protect you from an impact over 30mph, I have seen many fatal accidents and the speeds were nearly always below 50mph usually colliding with either another vehicle a tree a lamp post or similar, you see high speed crashes on race tracks but as there is nothing to hit (except another bike) they are usually injury free or very minor

I was once told by another biker that he was protected with all his gear and expensive helmet, he thought it was protective armor, soon after a chat he realised that he was wrong and was shocked at his own stupidity

[dave_boo]

Hey looky here what i found, its a REAL helmet test.

I had the same model on the right, it's now somewhere in Los Angeles where i gave it away to some needy Mexican dude from Craigslist.

The airvents on that one never came apart, the Limited Edition Stealth model did.

Hey Dave we need your calculation skills, the test says theres a 3 kilogram weight dropped from 3 meters, but its a sharp point. What would the equivalent force be at 120kph when a blunter object such as a curb smacks it? Curb should have much more surface area than a sharp point used in the test.

A 3kg object dropped 3 meters has an impact force of 882N. Surprisingly, falling off a bike at 120km/h and hitting an object would probably provide less Impact force against the helmet as a rider would most likely not flip straight over their handlebars and directly into a kerb. A much more likely scenario is that they would slide quite a ways and shed a lot of the speed not to mention that they would not have the helmet fall 3 meters straight down. But what of a person who was tootling along and going through an intersection smashed into a big lorrie that ran the red lamp? I think that's what you're looking for. And for that, you use the same formula. Let's assume that the rider is a 99,5kg man with a 0,5 helmet. That's 100kg decelerated from 33,3 m/s and we'll assume that the helmet travels a meter before smacking into that immovable object. Your rate of deceleration would be 554,4 ^m/_s²; thus your KE = 55 555,5J. Obviously the helmet is going to deflect some and the foam inside should absorb a lot of that force, but it's still a pretty big, and quite possibly unsurviveable, amount of force.

Edited February 23, 2013 by dave_boo

[loserlazer]

interesting to note that the latest helmet technology is not foam in the inner shell but a gel - researchers have found that a gel offeres much increased protection, the idea was developed from studies on the skull and the fluid that protects the brain, not sure if available yet but expect it soon

Like johnson kl gel?

[schondie]

This thread is no different to many other threads concerning motorcycles, many different opinions and no one will agree on anything.

A good read nonetheless as I (and others) will pick up some new info.

Edited February 24, 2013 by schondie

[RED21]

Just got back from a visit to the helmet shop across Suriwong Bookstore.

Was looking to either get a new G-Force, or something with a double visor as the glare can be really annoying during the afternoon in the boonies.

There were 3 models of the same helmet on display the latest 2013, the 2012 model, and the 2011 model. The 3 models were almost the same except for the graphics the lining material inside was also the same.

He was putting up the original 2011 models up for sale and I was about to get one, but then I asked him what else was he having up for sale. He said he had 3 Bilmola Defenders up for sale, and some LS2 351s. Ended up buying the black matte Defender because I liked the fit when I tried it on and it had a double visor system, plus it was ECE -R 22. As usual he gave me a huge discount.

I was talking to the owner how in some aspects (ventilation, wind redirection and noise suppression) the G-Force was better than the HJC CL16 which I bought from him almost 2 years ago but I preferred the HJC because the liners would never smell bad after riding in the rain. He told me that the only possible solution was to wash the helmet liners on the G-Force regularly.

[KRS1]

Got a pic of the Bilmola? Hows the weight and balance compared to the REAL?

[RED21]

Got a pic of the Bilmola? Hows the weight and balance compared to the REAL?

Here's the video of the owner giving the helmet an overview...

Here's the overview for the 2013 G-Force...

I think most of the shop's customers now it by now, but it's better to deal with the owner at the back than the girls up front, especially if you're still deciding on what to get.

Edited March 4, 2013 by RED21